On this great night, Christ does something old, something traditional. He gathers with his Apostles for the celebration of the Passover feast. They prepare and eat this supper according to the precise instructions given centuries before by Moses. For the Jews, this was not merely a memorial meal, but actually made the Passover present to […]
Read more "The New Sacrifice of the Eucharist"“Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her.” These are the words of the traditional entrance antiphon for today’s Mass, which gives it the name, “Laetare Sunday.” On this Sunday, the Church allows a respite from the sobriety that […]
Read more "Coming into the Light"What does proclaiming Christ crucified have to do with being a joyful disciple? That is the theme that I want to explore today, but first, just a little review of where we have come from so far in our Lenten exploration of discipleship: The first week we explored what it means to be a disciple […]
Read more "Foolishness and a Stumbling Block"Last Sunday, I began a series of sermons for the season of Lent on discipleship. For the purpose of this series, I told you that I want to consider discipleship as a way of following the Lord in a new and more intense manner. More specifically, we are focusing on the joy of being Christ’s […]
Read more "The Reward for Discipleship: Heaven"Lent is a great time for us to refocus our lives on what is most important, to turn away from worldly concerns and come back to the Lord with our whole hearts. Lent is about discipleship, about discovering a way of following the Lord in a new and more intense manner. In past Lents, I […]
Read more "The Joy of Discipleship"“If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.” “Woe to me if […]
Read more "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel"“What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” What does it mean that Christ’s teaching is new? Or more importantly, how is Christ’s teaching new for you? The world has frequently convinced us that Christianity, and especially Catholicism, is just the opposite of something new. […]
Read more "Rediscovering the Newness of the Gospel"After all of the excitement of the Christmas season, we are settling back down now into Ordinary Time, that time of the year when we focus not necessarily on the extraordinary events of the history of salvation, but rather on how we are called to be a part of these great mysteries, on the ordinary, […]
Read more "Calling our Country to Repentance"It is fitting that, on the Sunday after Christmas, we should commemorate the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. This feast day reminds us of an important reality: Jesus was born into a family. Our Lord, like every human person, was not merely an isolated individual. God has willed that new human life should […]
Read more "The Holy Family: Our Model and Guide"“While gentle silence enveloped all things, and night in its swift course was now half gone, [the] all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne. Into the midst of the land that was doomed, a stern warrior carrying the sharp sword of thy authentic command.” So did King Solomon of old foretell the coming […]
Read more "God Searching for Us"
Father Gregerson 